These beans were quite salty, even after a good drain and rinse under cool water. They did, however, have a nice bite to them and a slight nuttiness, but it was hard to get over the salt level just eating them as is.

Trader Joe's went in the opposite direction, with the beans cooked almost too long that some were easily crushed — even when I gently rinsed them. This is definitely not an issue when making hummus, but it could be a bother when making a bean salad.

These golden-hued chickpeas were definitely the largest of the bunch — in fact, they almost looked fake — but their flavor was even (not too salty or canned-tasting). And they were neither too soft or too firm.